Elongate hinge having centering means



April 30, 1963 H. E. ESKRIDGE ETAL ELONGA'I 'E HINGE HAVING CENTERING MEANS Filed May 17, 1961 FIG.3

INVENTO Haze/ 0 6.55%2/066 wax/0a 0. JOHNSON ATT YS.

Unite rates are This invention relates to elongate hinge constructions, and especially to a continuous or elongate hinge wherein the portions of the hinge are formed integrally with other structures such as door stiles, and Z-bars, or jamb liner rails.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved hinge construction, characterized by the integral formation of the hinge pintle and socket members with door stiles, sash rails, or similar members and associated frame or liner rail means, or the like and wherein a continuous, attractive, serviceable hinge construction having centering means therein is provided.

Another object of the invention is to provide special low friction plastic bushings in an elongate metal hinge construction wherein the bearing contact takes place between the low friction plastic bearings and associated metal means rather than metal-to-metal contact, and when plastic bearing plugs retain the hinge means in assembled relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide plastic bearings that secure associated metal hinge members together.

A further object of the invention is to provide plastic bearings in an elongate hinge with means for carrying a lubricant, such as parafiin wax, in the hinge.

Still another object of the invention is to provide special extruded metal shapes in elongate hinge constructions and wherein a hinge pintle has one or two end extensions thereon for engaging bearing plugs for centering action in the assembled hinge.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

In order to understand the invention more thoroughly, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a door and frame means embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded view of the parts forming one end of the hinge of the invention; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged horizontal sections taken on lines 33, and 44, respectively, of FIG. 1.

When referring to corresponding parts shown in the drawings and referred to in the specification, corresponding numerals are used to facilitate comparison therebetween.

The present invention, broadly speaking, relates to a hinge comprising a member having an arcuate hinge socket and having a slot extending the length of the member and connecting to the hinge socket, a second member having a hinge pintle thereon, the second member having a flange connecting the pintle to the remainder thereof, a cylindrical low friction plastic bearing carried by and secured to the pintle and engaging the hinge socket to connect the second member to the first member for relative pivotal movement therebetween, the pintle having pintle end extensions thereon, and bearing means positioned on the first member and engaging the pintle extensions for bearing and centering action.

It should be appreciated that the present invention can be used for pivotally positioning any two members in desired relationship to each other. Thus, the hinge means of the invention could be used for pivotally securing an ice awning to positioning frame means therefor, or it could be used for positioning casement, awning-type, or, other windows on associated frame or anchor means therefor, or for both horizontally or vertically pivoted doors, or the like.

Attention now is directed to the details of the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, and a door is indicated as a whole by the numeral 1. A door frame is indicated ase a whole by the numeral 2 and the door 1 is pivotally received in such door frame and is secured thereto by the hinge means described hereinafter in more detail.

PEG. 2 of the drawings best brings out the fact that a door stile 3 is provided for the door 1 and such door stile may be of any desired construction and be associated with the remaining portion of the door 1 in a conventional manner. However, preferably this door stile 3 is made of metal by extrusion and a hinge pintle 4, usually cylindrical in cross section, is formed integrally with the door stile 3 and connects thereto by means of a connector flange, or section 5 extending between the hinge pintle and remainder of the door stile. The hinge pintle 4 extends substantially the length of the door stile 3 and, as an important feature, has end sections or extensions 6 provided thereon where the pintle extends axially beyond the adjacent portions of the flange 5.

In the present invention, a Z-bar or side jamb liner rail 7 is provided and normally is made from metal. Preferably this jamb liner rail 7 is made by extruding aluminum, or other suitable metal to a desired contour. The jamb liner rail 7 is adapted to be secured to a side jamb 8, or other equivalent framing member in a house or other building to which the door frame 2 is to be secured. The jamb liner rail 7 preferably has a hinge socket 9 formed integrally therewith, which hinge socket has an open ended arcuate surface 10 provided therein. The arcuate surface ltl has a slot or opening 11 extending longitudinally of and the length of the jamb liner rail 7 connecting thereto. The hinge socket 9 is, it will be seen, formed integrally with a second hinge member, i.e. the jamb liner rail 7 in this instance.

Another important feature of the hinge construction of the invention is that a hollow, cylindrical, low friction bearing 12 is provided for the pintle 4 and extends at least substantially the length thereof. The bearing 12 preferably is made from any suitable plastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride resins, nylon or other hard smooth surfaced, low friction plastic substances.

The bearing 12 preferably is secured to the hinge pintle 4 as by one or more pins 13 extending through the flange 5 to securely hold the bearing 12 in engagement therewith and to prevent undesirable longitudinal movement of the bearing. The bearing 12 is provided with an inner dimension as to engage the periphery of the hinge pintle 4 snugly whereas the outer diameter of the hearing 12 is such that the bearing is snugly received in the hinge socket 9 on the arcuate surface 10 thereof but with clearance being provided therebetween to permit pivotal movement. Thus the bearing 12 positions the hinge pintle and associated means in the hinge pintle socket for smooth, arcuate, low friction movement of the hinged members, and any metal-to-metal pivotal contact is avoided.

Preferably to engage the door and the hinge pintle 4 with the jamb liner rail 7, and hinge socket 9, such members will be telescopically slid into engagement from an open end of the hinge socket 9.

The connector flange 5 extends through the slot 11 which normally is of about to in extent and controls the amount of pivotal movement of the door 1.

By this invention, suitable means, such as a nylon plug bearing 14, is positioned in the pintle socket 9 at both ends to center the door 1 in the hinge.

3 of the jamb liner rail 7 in order to provide a support hearing, or member to aid in supporting the weight of the door 1 on the frame means provided therefor, and also The bearings 14, at the ends of the door 1, may be made from suitable low friction material, such as nylon and have center bores or apertures 15 at least on their axially inner ends. Such apertures 15 receive the pintle ends or extensions 6 therein.

It will be realized that the bearing plugs 14 can be secured in position in the hinge socket of the door jamb liner rail 7 by suitable means, such as a screw 16. The center bores 15 provided in these bearing plugs or bearings naturally would usually be a little deeper than the length of the pintle ends 6 so that in some instances a sliding bearing engagement may be obtained between the lower end of the flange 5 where a portion thereof is removed as at 17, FIG. 2, to form the pintle end extension. Thus any desired length or part of this connector flange or section 5 of the door stile is suitably removed after the member has been extruded to desired shape and cut to size. One then can determine whether the pintle end 6 should merely bottom in the recess or center bore '15 for a thrust bearing or normal support action therein, or whether it is desired to have the edge of the flange 5 at 17 bear against the upper surface of the lower one of these bearings 14. Usually the door and door stile 3 are so engaged with the bearing means provided therefor, that, for example, the lower bearing 14 would be secured to the door jamb liner rail 7 prior to assembly of the hinge and door components. Then after the door has been positioned in engagement with the hinge socket through use of the bearing 12 and other means, the top bearing member 14, FIG. 1, would be engaged with the upper end of the pintle 4 by sliding it into the open top end of the pintle socket to engage the exposed pintle end 6 after which a suitable screw or member like the member 16 would be used to fix the nylon plug bearing 14 in position at the upper end of the door jamb liner rail whereby usually substantially no, or a very slight vertical movement of the door 1, as positioned for pivotal action, is permitted.

It will be understood that the bearing 12 must have some clearance between it and the hinge socket in which it is positioned for pivotal action so that a convenient easy swinging action for the door is obtained. However, in order to limit any undesired movement or looseness of the door 1, the pintle ends, or extensions 6 engage with the centering apertures or bores 15 in the end bearings 14 at the top and bottom of the door so that the door is accurately centered in position but still appreciable operative clearance is permitted between the bearing 12 and its hinge socket.

Naturally the pins 13 can be cemented in place, or merely be retained in place by a force fit, or otherwise, as desired. It also should be noted that longitudinally extending grooves 18 are provided in the periphery of this bearing 12. Thus prior to assembly of the bearing into the hinge socket, some suitable solid lubricant, such as paraffin wax may be applied thereto. This wax will stay in position indefinitely and will aid in obtaining free pivotal action for the door in the hinge socket provided.

It thus will be seen that the invention provides a hollow cylindrical hearing means of low friction characteristics to provide the bearing engagement between metal hinge members, such as ones made from aluminum, or other metals that may freeze when in intimate contact with other metal surfaces over long periods of time, and possibility of such freezing or galling is avoided.

The term plastic in this application is used to cover any suitable hard but low friction plastic material from which earings, like those described herein can be produced.

The invention contemplates that the male hinge member, or hinge pintle 4, if necessary or desired, can be made an integral portion of the jamb liner rail and have the hinge socket, or female hinge member formed integrally with the door stile 3, but the construction shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings is the preferred construction for the hinge means of the invention. These hinge members, it will be seen, are formed integrally with the remaining portions of the members to be pivotally secured together, and the elongate hinge and socket construction form an attractive, effective hinge means that are sturdy and will give an effective service life. It will be realized that no special positioning means are required to secure the door, casement sash or the like, to a positioning member therefor and this greatly facilitates assembly and installation of doors and casement sashes to frame means therefor.

In view of the foregoing, it is belived that a novel and improved'elongate hinge has been provided. This hinge has good operative clearance but yet an accurate centering action is obtained in the hinge so that the door 1 is positively held in position. The hinge is substantially air tight and has good service life. Thus it is believed that the objects of the invention have been achieved.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 722,994, now Patent No. 3,015,839 granted January 9, 1962.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hinge, 1a first metal member having an integral hinge socket with an arcuate surface of more than and having a slot extending the length of the member and connecting to both of the margins of the arcuate surface of the hinge socket so that the circumferential extent of said slot determines the arcuate surface length of said hinge socket, a second metal member having an integral cylindrical pintle thereon and extending at least substantially the length thereof, said first metal member being vertically positioned and said second metal member being part of a vertically positioned door, said second metal member having a flange connecting said pintle to the remainder thereof, said metal members being of substantially the same lengths and said second metal member being free to move longitudinally of said first metal mem her, a hollow cylindrical low friction plastic bearing car- 'ried by said pintle and engaging surfaces of said hinge pintle and said hinge socket to connect said second metal member to said first member for relative pivotal movement therebetween, said plastic bearing having a slot therein through which said flange extends, said pintle having a larger diameter than the thickness of said flange to retain said bearing thereon, said pintle being engageable with said hinge socket only by relative telescopic movement between said first and second metal members with said bearing being operatively engaged with one of said metal members prior to such telescopic movement, said pintle having end pintle extensions protruding axially beyond immediately adjacent portions of said flange on said second metal member, and bearing means at both ends of said first metal member and secured within said hinge socket to extend axially thereof for bearing engagement with at least one edge of said flange, said bearing means each having a center bore therein for centering engagement with said pintle extensions.

2. In a hinge, a first metal member having an integral hinge socket with an arcuate surface of more than 180 and having a slot extending the length of the member and connecting to both of the margins of the arcuate surface of the hinge socket so that the circumferential extent of said slot determines the arcuate surface length of said hinge-socket, a second metal member having an integral pintle thereon and extending at least substantially the length thereof, said second metal member having a flange connecting said pintle to the remainder thereof, a hollow cylindrical low friction plastic bearing carried by said pintle and engaging surfaces of said hinge pintle and said hinge socket to connect said second metal member to said first metal member for relative pivotal movement therebetween, said bearing having a slot therein through which said flange extends, said pintle having a dimension larger than the thickness of said flange to retain said bearing thereon, said pintle being engageable with said hinge socket by relative telescopic movement between said first and second metal members with said bearing being operatively engaged with one of said metal members prior to such telescopic movement, said metal members being vertically positioned, said pintle having a pintle end extension protruding axially downwardly beyond adjacent portions of said flange on said second metal member, and bearing means at the lower end of said first metal member and within said hinge socket to retain said members in assembled relation, said bearing means having a center bore therein for centering engagement with said pintle end extension 3. In a hinge, a first metal member having an integral hinge socket with an arcuate surface of more than 180 and having a slot extending the length of the member and connecting to both of the margins of the arcuate surface of the hinge socket, a second metal member having an integral cylindrical pintle thereon and extending at least substantially the length thereof, said first metal member being vertically positioned and said second metal member being part of a vertically positioned door, said second metal member having a section connecting said pintle to the remainder thereof, said metal members being of substantially the same length, a hollow cylindrical low friction plastic bearing carried by said pintle and engaging surfaces of said hinge pintle and said hinge socket to connect said second metal member to said first metal member for relative pivotal movement therebetween, said bear-ing having a slot therein through which said section extends, means securing said bearing to said pintle, said pintle being engageable with said hinge socket by relative telescopic movement between said first and second metal members with said bearing being operatively engaged with one of said metal members prior to such telescopic movement, said pintle having pintle extensions protruding axially beyond adjacent portions of said section on said second metal member, and bearing means at both ends of said first metal member and secured within said hinge socket to extend axially thereof, said bearing means each having a center bore therein on adjacent ends thereof for centering engagement with said pintle extensions.

4. In a hinge, a first metal member having an integral hinge socket with an arcuate surface of more than 180 and having a slot extending the length of the member and connecting to both of the margins of the arcuate surface of the hinge socket so that the circumferential extent of said slot determines the arcuate surface length of said hinge socket, a second metal member having an integral pintle thereon and extending at least substantially the length thereof, said second metal member having a flange connecting said pintle to the remainder thereof, said metal members being of substantially the same lengths and said second metal member being free to move longitudinally of said first metal member, a hollow cylindrical low friction plastic bearing of at least substantially the same length as said metal members carried by said pintle and engaging surfaces of said hinge pintle and said hinge socket to connect and secure said second metal member to said first metal member for relative pivotal movement therebetween, said bearing having a slot therein through which said flange extends, said pintle having a larger outer dimension than the thickness of said flange to retain said bearing thereon, said pintle being engageable with said hinge sock et by relative telescopic movement between said first and second metal members with said bearing being operatively engage-d with one of said metal members prior to such telescopic movement, said hinge being adapted to be positioned on a vertical axis, and a plastic bearing plug at the lower end of the hinge and secured in said hinge socket, said bearing plug having a centering bore provided in the upper end thereof, said pintle having a lower end section protruding axially beyond adjacent portions of said flange and received in said centering bore.

5. A hinge as in claim 1 where said plastic hearing has a plurality of axially extending parallel ribs on its periphery for receipt of lubricating material therein.

6. In a hinge, a first metal member having an integral hinge socket with an open ended arcuate surface of more than and having a slot extending the length of the member and connecting to both of the margins of the arcuate surface of the hinge socket so that the circumferential extent of said slot determines the arcuate surface length of said hinge socket, a second metal member having an integral pintle thereon and extending at least substantially the length thereof, said second metal member having a flange connecting said pintle to the remainder thereof, a hollow cylindrical low friction plastic bearing of at least substantially the same length as said metal members carried by said pintle and engaging said hinge pintle and said hinge socket to connect and secure said second metal member to said first metal member for relative pivotal movement therebetween, said bearing having a slot therein through which said flange extends, said pintle having end extensions thereon that extend axially beyond adj acent portions of said flange, and a plastic bearing plug secured in said hinge socket at each end thereof to retain said members in assembled hinged engagement, said bearing plugs each having a center recess extending thereinto in the adjacent ends thereof and receiving said end extensions to aid in pivotally positioning said second metal member.

7. (In a vertically positioned hinge, a first metal member having an integral hinge socket with an open ended arcuate surface of more than 180 and having a slot extending the length of the member and connecting to both of the margins of the arcuate surface of the hinge socket so that the circumferential extent of said slot determines the arcuate surface length of said hinge socket, a second metal member having an integral pintle thereon and extending at least substantially the length thereof, said second metal member having a flange connecting said pintle to the remainder thereof, a hollow cylindrical low friction plastic bearing of at least substantially the same length as said metal members carried by said pintle and engaging said pintle and said hinge socket to connect and secure said second metal member to said first metal member for relative pivotal movement therebetween, said bearing having a slot therein through whcih said flange extends, said pintle having an end extension thereon that extends axially beyond adjacent portions of said flange and of said plastic bearing, said hinge socket having a vertical axis, and a plastic bearing plug secured in said hinge socket at the lower end thereof to retain said members in assembled hinged engagement, said bearing plug having a center recess therein at its upper end receiving said end extension to aid in pivotally positioning said second metal member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,683,892 German July 20, 1954 2,691,803 Keebler Oct. 19, 1954 2,828,668 De Angelis Apr. 1, 1958 

6. IN A HINGE, A FIRST METAL MEMBER HAVING AN INTEGRAL HINGE SOCKET WITH AN OPEN ENDED ARCUATE SURFACE OF MORE THAN 180* AND HAVING A SLOT EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF THE MEMBER AND CONNECTING TO BOTH OF THE MARGINS OF THE ARCUATE SURFACE OF THE HINGE SOCKET SO THAT THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL EXTENT OF SAID SLOT DETERMINES THE ARCUAT SURFACE LENGTH OF SAID HINGE SOCKET, A SECOND METAL MEMBER HAVING AN INTEGRAL PINTLE THEREON AND EXTENDING AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH THEREOF, SAID SECOND METAL MEMBER HAVING A FLANGE CONNECTING SAID PINTLE TO THE REMAINDER THEREOF, A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL LOW FRICTION PLASTIC BEARING OF AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME LENGTH AS SAID METAL MEMBERS CARRIED BY SAID PINTLE AND ENGAGING SAID HINGE PINTLE AND SAID HINGE SOCKET TO CONNECT AND SECURE SAID SECOND METAL MEMBER TO SAID FIRST METAL MEMBER FOR RELATIVE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN, SAID BEARING HAVING A SLOT THEREIN THROUGH WHICH SAID FLANGE EXTENDS, SAID PINTLE HAVING END EXTENSIONS THEREON THAT EXTEND AXIALLY BEYOND ADJACENT PORTIONS OF SAID FLANGE, AND A PLASTIC BEARING PLUG SECURED IN SAID HINGE SOCKET AT EACH END THEREOF TO RETAIN SAID MEMBERS IN ASSEMBLED HINGED ENGAGEMENT, SAID BEARING PLUGS EACH HAVING A CENTER RECESS EXTENDING THEREINTO IN THE ADJACENT ENDS THEREOF AND RECEIVING SAID END EXTENSIONS TO AID IN PIVOTALLY POSITIONING SAID SECOND METAL MEMBER. 